Essentials before you dive:
- If you are going open water diving, you need the appropriate PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) certification. (See how to get one here)
- Alternatively, get an instructor to accompany you from reputable dive shops.
- Always dive with a buddy! Most emergency techniques are dependent on you having a helping hand.
- Ever been on a plane? You will feel a similar ache in your ears when you dive. Descend slowly and constantly equalise the pressure to protect your eardrums.
- Take only photos, leave only bubbles!
- Try to avoid diving from July to September, as algae bloom and winds reduce visibility, leading to a sub-optimal experience.
- If you are travelling by plane after a dive, check with your PADI instructors the proper 'no-flight time' parameters between your last dive and your next flight to avoid decompression sickness. Instructors will typically advise you to wait 12 to 18 hours after diving before travelling on an airplane, depending on the depths and the number of dives you made.